Yesterday
was the Last Race of the Georgia
State Mountain bike Championships. I competed in and
finished 5 of the 8 races. This last race of the series
held at the Georgia Industrial Children's Home on Mumford
Road in Macon. It was a good turnout of racers for an extremely
fast Big Ring Course. I
finished 21st of 25 in Sport Master Men 30-39. I new
going in that I would come in near last place.
From
the start I tried to stay with the pack as long as I could.
I kept them in sight for most of the first lap and then
had to slow down or I would have blown up. I tried to stay
out of the way of other classes catching me. I think I cut
off Go
Fast Pops on a fast right hand corner. On the Fast Double
Track with sharp sandy corners before it skirts the top
of Chandler's Challenge. It was totally unintentional and
if your reading sorry bout that Don! He flew past me like
I was coasting and he was on a single speed! I stopped on
my second lap to help a guy with a broken chain. I offered
to fix it for him but he said he could figure it out so
I left my Park
Chain Tool with him and took off. Come to find out he
was in my class. I didn't even think about it when I stopped
to help. After the race he returned my Chain Tool and that's
when I realized we were racing against each other. NORBA
rules state that you cannot get help from any one on the
course or you will be disqualified. I don't think he would
have placed so It really didn't matter, I just wanted to
help him at least finish. I did help a dude with his chain
last year at the Dauset
GAP race and he was in the points running. After the
race he asked me not to tell anyone. I agreed and told him
he's the one that has to deal with knowing he cheated. Any
way Back to the Race. I really felt good and I thought I
was going fast but I only beat one guy. The other three
were DNF's. I did not get passed by as many girls this race
though. I tried to ride up the right side of Chandler's
Challenge my first two laps but couldn't make it passed
the roots at the top. My last lap I made it up the left
side. I had plenty of water in my Camel Bak and was eating
a PowerBar
Gel packet at the end of my first and second laps. I
was proud of myself for finishing the 21 mile race at such
a fast pace.
The
Highlight of the day was my Daughter doing the Kids Race.
She has been talking about doing one all season but never
was really serious about it and I don't want to pressure
her about riding. Since she has ridden out at the Pig Trail
with me a couple of times she said she really wanted to
this time so I signed her up. She was racing in the 9-11
year old class. It was a nice loop up the grassy hill then
down through the planted pines. She had to do two laps.
She was one of only two girls in her class. She came in
last but she felt like she won because of everyone cheering
her on and calling her by name. She really enjoyed it. She
wore her SORBA shirt and Medal to School today. She is allready
asking when the next race is.
GSC
Race #8: Pig Trail, 21st of 25, 21 mi, 2 hrs 14 min,
9.3 avg mph
RESULTS
Hung
around the House and did house work today before I went
to Church. I spent a couple hours cleaning and tuning my
bike. I use Tri-Flow
lube for my chain and cables. It was recommended to me recently.
It seems to work pretty good. I've always been a fan of
Phil
Wood Tenacious. Thats what I always used before. Even
back in the day that was the best I found for lubing a chain.
It does get gummed up after a wile and you have to clean
it off but so does most other wet lube brands.
I
spent most of the day yesterday out at the Pig
Trail. I did some trimming and picked up some trash
on the rough single track behind the lake. Then I road a
couple of laps. I ate a lunch I had packed then Helped dig
a hole for the Donation
Box, Cut some grass over were the race lap comes out
of the woods at the lake. Then I went to pick up some Trash
over in the Pines on the Far side. I found a Full 5 gallon
Bucket of White Latex Paint. I left it up by the Parking
lot. Mabey we can use it to paint the sign and new Lattice
work that was being put up. There were a bunch of people
there.
Thursday,
Some fellas from work and I rode out at Thomson.
We had a Great time. We just cruised along at a slow pace
so everyone could stay together. Thomson has really become
rutted out and is a pretty rough and rooty trail. But thats
OK I like it rough, to me thats what Moutain Biking is all
about. In my last post I spoke of Nathan G. Challenging
me to a One lap Race around Thomson. Looks Like "He
Will Be Wearing a Tie to Work". Here is the Play By
Play: I let him enter the woods first as we started. Not
even 5 feet in he got a branch stuck in his spoke. Being
the good sport I am, I stopped and let him clear it out,
then we started again with him in front. About 50 yards
later he slides off the course putting his foot down then
leans into the trail to try and block me from passing. I
threw out an elbow as I went around (I wasn't stopping this
time) then jammed the Haro into the BIG RING and never looked
back. I was gone. As I was approching the Start finish at
the Opening in the Gate for the Win, he was comming out
of the by-pass before the Extreme section, (Last part of
the trail). I finished the lap in 28 minutes. He will have
to wear a Tie to work until he beats me racing. We might
go back out to Thomson or the Pig Trail this week and race
again. He says "I hate Thomson, It's too Rough".
Wednesday,
August 16, 2006
Close
to a week away from the Last of The
Georgia Mountain Bike Championship Series Races. It
will be held at the Georgia
Industrial Children's Home (Pig Trail) in Macon, GA
on Sept 27th. After the race there will be a banquet to
honor the outstanding of the series. OMBA
is hosting this race and will be donating proceeds to the
childrens home. I'm allready Pre-registered.
We are having a work party out there to get ready for the
Race on Sat Aug 26th
I
am also pre-Registered for the 4
Hours of Pig Race Held at the Same location. Charles
of the Bike
Store is putting this on and is sure to be a big Success.
I've herd alot of people talking about it. It will be on
Sept 10th.
I'm
also planning on Running in the
Labor Day Road Race in Macon, GA on Mon Sept 4th. Its
a 5K that runs from Ingleside Baptist thru downtown Macon
to Central City Park.
My
last MTB Race of the Year will be on Oct 29th. The Tumbling
Creek Rumble in Gainsville, GA. I did this race
last year (Sport men 35-39) and it was alot of fun.
I'm planning on going up the Friday before the race and
making a weekend out of it and doing some fun stuff in Atlanta.
Also gonna be visiting Jittery
Joe's a few times wile I'm up there. I've ridden by
the Buford Location but have never stopped to try it before.
I have heard they have great coffee. I would like to get
one of there cool Cycling
Jerseys.
After
work tommorow I'm going to ride out at Thomson.
Going with a few fellas from work and my Brother might also
go. We are just gonna do a slow lap so they will have fun.
One of my co-workers (Nathan G.) just got a new Trek
4300 and has challenged me to a Race. One lap around
Thomson. The bet is that: If he Wins I can't wear a Tie
to work again until I beat him racing again. And if I win
He has to wear a Tie everyday to work until he beats me
Racing. If you didn't allready know I wear a tie to work
everyday. I try to get him to wear one. The last time we
raced was at Thomson over a year ago. He was riding an older
16 inch Trek 930 and I was riding a 10 year old, Fully rigid
Huffy with a broken Shifter. I beat him in the 3 lap race.
I hope to win tommorow.
Ok
Ok so I know I have been slack about posting lately. I have
been sooo busy. My daughter started 4th grade last week
and I finally purchased a new vehicle. Well new to me at
least. I got a 2000 Toyota Sienna Mini Van! Yay! It is much
more nice than the 87
Toyota Camery Station wagon that I was Driving with
It's wheel bearings shot, only two windows would roll up
and down, no A/C, No Muffler and you smelled like exhaust
after riding in it. I've been saving for a Sienna for a
while now. It's an XLE model with leather and a Moon roof.
MSN
auto has an informative site if you want to look up
a vehicle. I bought it locally but checked out many online
at Autotrader.com
and Ebay
Motors.
Now
I just need to get a roof rack for the bikes. I want to
get one that does not require you to take off the front
wheel. You just stand the bike up lock it down and Go. A
Yakima
Raptor or Thule. I'm going to be looking around for
one so any suggestions would help.
I
have not been riding too much either. I only rode one time
last week, at Thomson before the OMBA meeting in 100 degree
weather. skipped the Race in Athens this past weekend to
do some house work and cut the Grass. I've been neglecting
my chores too. I also had Two House Plans to finish before
today. I'm not doing as many House plans at home as I used
to. I'm trying to get away from doing as many as I was before.
Just too much stress and I would rather have my free time
to spend with my daughter and RIDE. I used to be all into
it but got burnt out. I still have my WEB page up and use
space there to host this Blog. Thornton Drafting . I'm stressed
out enough at my regular day job as a Drafter.
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